The present invention relates broadly to the field of beds and more particularly to beds having a tiltable occupant support platform.
It is not unusual that persons suffering from back injuries or recovering from different types of surgery are required to maintain their body in a single unchanging condition. Although the patient may be able to convalesce at home, he requires some assistance, especially when getting into and out of bed. It is found to be an extremely difficult task for a person whose body must remain rigidly in a straightened condition to raise or lower himself to or from a supine or prone lying position. Often, this cannot be accomplished without assistance from at least one other person. It has therefore become very desirable to obtain a bed that includes a tiltable occupant receiving platform that can be moved to raise and lower an occupant between an upright standing position and a horizontal supportive position. It is further desirable to obtain such a bed that offers easy access to the occupant and that requires minimum assistance from others.
A partial solution to the above problems is realized by U.S. Pat. No. 2,763,520 to Climo. Climo discloses a rollable and tiltable hospital bed. This bed includes a supportive framework that pivotably mounts a patient support platform. However, the framework completely surrounds the user so he cannot leave the bed, but must step or be lifted over a cross-frame member before he may get away from the bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,520 to Weiland et al discloses a therapy treatment tilt table. This is a somewhat complex apparatus that is designed for therapy treatment. An occupant support platform is provided above a base frame. The platform is pivoted at an end of the frame and moves from a horizontal position adjacent the flat top surface of the base to an upright position adjacent the face or upright front of the base. In the upright position, the platform is substantially perpendicular to the supportive floor plane. No peripheral framework is provided to assist the occupant in moving to and from the support platform. The platform is moved between the horizontal and upright positions by a motor and screw assembly held within the base. The motor is pivotably attached to the base with the screw extending therefrom to pivotably attach to the support platform.